What Are Kern County Arrest Records?
The Public Records Act, as expressed in the California Government Code Section 6245(F), allows the Kern County Sheriff to make arrest information about current cases available to the public. Kern County arrest records for deposed matters are, however, not open to the public. Only the individuals arrested can request for these records. However, they may have to pay a $25 charge to obtain a local criminal history. People can call (661) 391-7624 for Kern arrest records. It is also possible for arrestees to purchase their booking photos from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office for $10.
If you have been arrested by the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, you may purchase your own booking photo for a $5 fee by appearing in person with photo ID. Please note: Arrest Records staff is not authorized to release booking photos to the public or the media.
There is a $25 state fee and a rolling fee of $10 to $25, depending upon the live scan site used. The Kern County Sheriff’s Office License Unit offers this service Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for a fee of $20, by appointment only.
Crime Statistics
The State of California Department of Justice publishes annual crime statistics for counties within the state's jurisdiction. In 2019, Kern County recorded a total of 35,171 crimes. According to the available data, there were 5,567 violent crimes, and 29,604 property crimes committed. Violent crimes increased from the previous year, while the property crime count decreased in the same span. Based on a ten-year trend, Kern County recorded its lowest violent crime count in 2011 and its lowest property crime count in 2014.
Per crime category, there were 455 homicides, 429 rapes, 1,278 robberies, 3,790 aggravated assaults, among other crimes in the violent crime category. Furthermore, Kern County recorded 7,595 burglaries, 16,126 larceny-thefts, 6097 motor vehicle thefts, 843 arsons, among other property crimes. The data for homicide, rape, and aggravated assault represents Kern County's highest between 2010 and 2019. In 2019, Kern County's index crime rate dropped by 1% from the previous year to 3,907.0 crime per 100,000 population. The county's violent crime rate increased by an estimated 4% to 618.4 crimes per 100,000 population, while its property crime rate declined by nearly 3% to 3288.6 crimes per 100,000 population.
What Are Kern County Criminal Records?
Kern County criminal records (also called rap sheets) provide official documentations of the criminal history of people within the county. These records compile various data such as kern arrest records, charges, pending criminal cases, and conviction from law enforcement agencies, the courts, and correctional facilities. The Criminal records of Kern County may comprise the relevant individuals’ full names and their aliases, their date of birth, race, ethnicity, and fingerprints. These records may also contain mugshots and physical descriptions of the subject of the documents. People can also find indictments and conviction information on the record’s subject in the file.
How Do I Get Kern County Criminal Records?
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office keeps all criminal records for the Bakersfield metropolitan area and its 16 substations and satellite offices all over the county. To obtain criminal records, individuals can visit the Records Section of the Sheriff’s Office located at 1350, Norris Road, Bakersfield, California. The office is open to the public from Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Requests from out of state or county may be submitted by mail. Requesters may have to send a notarized written request along with their photo ID and a money order covering applicable fees to Kern County Sheriff’s Office when requesting these records. The records department's phone number is (661) 391-7431.
How to Find Kern County Sex Offender Information
The list of registered sex offenders in Kern County is available on California’s Megan’s Law website. The website contains a central database of sex offenders maintained by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) under the 1996 Penal Code § 290.46. Individuals can use this search tool to search for sex offenders by name, city, address, zip code, county, and proximity. In the county Search drop-down menu, selecting Kern County will pull out a list of sex offenders in Kern County. Anyone can access the sex offenders’ registry.
How Do I Visit an Inmate in Kern County Jail?
People can visit inmates at the Kern County jail at:
Kern Valley State Prison
West Cecil Avenue
Delano, CA 93216-6000
Visitors may have to apply to visit before they can visit an inmate. Visiting hours at the county jail are Saturdays and Sundays from 8 am to 2:30 pm. Visitors have to arrive at the jail facility before 1:30 pm to be allowed to visit. People visiting inmates have to dress appropriately and conduct themselves orderly. People can call (661) 721-6300 for more information on visiting inmates at the county jail.
Where and How to Find Kern County Inmate Information
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation maintains a searchable database of inmates in the state’s various jails. People can find inmates with the Inmate Search tool by searching by name or inmate number. Data of inmates obtained through the inmate locator include the inmate’s name, sex, age, booking number, and Date of Birth. Individuals can get more information by clicking on the inmate's booking number. Clicking on the inmate's booking number redirects people to a page where they can get full details about the inmate, such as inmate address, height, weight, bail bond, crime committed, date of arrest, arresting agency, and other information.
What Are Kern County Court Records?
The Superior Court of California (County of Kern) keeps all court records for the county. These are available in-person, but they may also be requested online. The types of court records accessible to the public include court dockets, transcripts of proceedings, photocopies of case file contents, and judicial, administrative records. Requesters can visit the Superior Court located at 1415 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, to search for these records. The court’s administration office is open from Monday to Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
When requesting Kern County Court Records by mail, individuals can send the request to the court’s mailing address that heard the case. They may have to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope along with research and copy fees. The court charges 50 cents per page for photocopies of case file contents. Certified copies of Judgement of Dissolution have a charge of $15 while the fee for certified copies of Court Orders is $25 plus 50 cents per page of documents.
Location of All Courts in Kern County
The trial court system of the State of California is made up of Superior Courts. There are about 11 superior court divisions in Kern County. Below is a list of the court in Kern county and their addresses:
Kern County Superior Court - Delano
1122 Jefferson St
Delano, CA 93215
Phone: (661) 720-5800
Kern County Superior Court - Juvenile Justice Center
2100 College Ave
Bakersfield, CA 93305
Phone: (661) 868-5393
Kern County Superior Court - Kern River
Lake Isabella Boulevard
Lake Isabella, CA 93240
Phone: (760) 549-2000
Kern County Superior Court - Lamont
12022 Main St
Lamont, CA 93241
Phone: (661) 868-5800
Kern County Superior Court - Metropolitan Division
1415 Truxtun Avenue
Bakersfield, CA 93301
Phone: (661) 868-7204 (Civil Limited, Small Claims, Evictions)
Phone: (661) 868-7205 (Civil Unlimited)
Phone: (661) 868-7206 (Criminal)
Kern County Superior Court - Metropolitan Division Justice Building
1215 Truxtun Ave
Bakersfield, CA 93301
Phone: (661) 868-7207 (Criminal)
Phone: (661) 868-5393 (Family, Probate)
Kern County Superior Court - Metropolitan Traffic Division
3131 Arrow Street
Bakersfield, CA 93308
Phone: (661) 335-7100
Kern County Superior Court - Mojave
1773 State Highway 58 Business
Mojave, CA 93501
Phone: (661) 824-7100
Kern County Superior Court - Ridgecrest
132 E Coso Ave
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
Phone: (760) 384-5900
Kern County Superior Court - Shafter
Central Valley Highway
Shafter, CA 93263
Phone: (661) 746-7524 (Civil Limited, Small Claims, Evictions)
Phone: (661) 746-7586 (Family Law)
Phone: (661) 746-7500 (Traffic)
Kern County Superior Court - Taft
Lincoln Street
Taft, CA 93268
Phone: (661) 868-5800
What Are Kern County Vital Records
Kern County records some of the important events that take place in its jurisdiction. This documentation makes Kern County vital records. The vital records of Kern county include Birth, marriage, divorce, and death records. Not all Kern County vital records are open to the public. Only specific people can access certified copies of Birth, Marriage, and Death records. Others may be able to access informational copies of these records. Applicants may be required to provide a government-issued photo ID and pay requisite fees to access Kern County’s vital records. Kern County divorce records are public records. They are obtainable from the clerk of the Superior Court of Kern County.
Where and How to Get Kern County Divorce Records
Kern County divorce records are public records. The clerk of the Superior Court of Kern County maintains divorce records for divorces granted in the county. Requestors can obtain a certified copy of divorce decrees and other documents on the divorce proceedings by contacting the county court clerk. People can also request for Kern County Divorce records online. Requestors may have to pay fees for obtaining the records. They may have to provide the case number of the documents requested and state the reason for requesting the records.
Where and How to Get Kern County Marriage Records
Public marriage licenses are recorded and maintained by the office of the Kern County recorder. Requesters can obtain these marriage records by contacting the Recorder at the Hall of Records Chester Avenue Bakersfield, California. They can also call (661) 868-6400 for the records. However, people who require a certified copy of the ConfidentialMarriage Certificate can contact the Kern County Clerk at Truxtun Avenue Bakersfield, CA 93301-4639. Only parties to a confidential marriage can obtain the records of such marriage. Marriage records, whether public or confidential, cost $15.00.
Where and How to Get Kern County Birth Records
Birth certificates for births occurring from 1960 to present are available at the Kern County Office of Vital Records. Records for births occurring before 1960 can be obtained from the County Recorder’s Office. The fee for birth records is $25 per copy. For in-person requests, applicants can visit the Kern County Office of Vital Records, 1800 Mt Vernon Avenue, 1st floor, Bakersfield, California. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and can be reached at (661) 321-3000. The mailed request also goes to the preceding office address, and requesters have to include a completed and notarized application form. They also have to submit a self-addressed, stamped envelope and check or money order for charges along with their request.
Where and How to Get Kern County Death Records
Requesters can obtain death records for deaths from 1993 to present from the Kern County Office of Vital Records. For deaths occurring earlier, they may have to contact the County Recorder’s Office. Applications to the Kern’s County Office of Vital Records can be made by submitting an Application for Death Certificate (English) / Application for Death Certificate (Spanish) in-person or by mail to:
Kern County Department of Public Health
Vital Statistics Office - 1st Floor
1800 Mt. Vernon Ave.
Bakersfield, CA 9330
People making mail requests may have to notarize their signature and submit a self-addressed, stamped envelope along with their payment. Kern County charges $21 per copy for death certifications and $18 per copy for fetal death certificates. Only specified people as follows may obtain Certified Authorized Copy of death records:
- Child/sibling or a relative of a deceased person
- People authorized by Court Order.
- Spouse/Registered Domestic Partner of the subject of the records
- An attorney representing the decedent or decedent's estate
- Law enforcement agencies or Government.
- Surviving next of kin
- Anyone with a power of Attorney
- Executors of deceased’s Estate
Other people not listed above can obtain informational copies only.
In addition to government agencies, county public records may also be obtained from third-party websites. These non-government platforms come with intuitive tools that allow for expansive searches. Record seekers may either opt to use these tools to search for a specific record or multiple records. Users are able to search third-party websites remotely for multiple records at a time with just the name of the record subject and their last known location, including the city, county, or state. Third-party sites are not sponsored by government agencies. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.
Are Property Records Open to the Public in Kern County?
Kern County property records are open to the public, according to the California Public Records Act. The state law considers all records created and maintained by the government as non-confidential. As such, members of the public can query the office in charge of keeping public records.
Where and How to Find Property Records in Kern County
The Kern County Assessor/Recorder documents and provides access to the county's property records. Members of the public may request documents of Real Property records via mail or by visiting the Office at:
1655 Chester Avenue
Bakersfield CA 93301
The requester will need to provide the following information:
- Document or Instrument Number
- Book/Page Number, if available
- Recording Year
- Names the parties named in the document or at least one.
- Document Type
- A Return Address
For mail orders, the requesting party should enclose the written request with a check or money order payable to the Kern County Recorder, and submit it together with a self-addressed, stamped envelope. The Recorder does not accept cash payments. The mailing address is:
Kern County Assessor-Recorder
1655 Chester Avenue
Bakersfield, CA 93301
The Recorder charges
- $ 3 per document for each 8½" x 11" first page
- 50 cents each 8½" x 11" for subsequent pages of the same document
- 50 cents per document for certification under seal
How to Look Up Kern County Property Records
The Kern County Assessor-Recorder maintains a database for Kern County property records. Members of the public may conduct a Property Information Search or an Assessor Map Search. The enquirer will need to supply the Assessor's Parcel Number, Assessor's Tax Number or an address.
Pursuant to the California Government Code § 6254.21, the Assessor will not provide party information in the search result. This is because the law prohibits the display of an individual's home addresses or telephone numbers without consent. As a result, searchers cannot make record inquiries on the internet by name.
Location of Kern County Property Assessor
Kern County Assessor
1115 Truxtun Avenue
Bakersfield, CA 93301
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
(except County Holidays; Assessor Holidays)
Phone: (661) 868-3485
Fax: (661) 868-3303
